Electromagnetic switch



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ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCH Filed July 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //ls u /4 Ian Asa/affair u/a f/o/z IOa 3 4O .Z'nvenivr HAROLD E. S CHLE ICHER WWW.

Patented May 27, 1947 ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCH Harold E. Schleicher, West Hartford, Conn., as-

signor to The Arrow-Hart & Hegeman Electric Company, Hartford, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application July 15, 1943, Serial No. 494,826

8 Claims. 1 This invention relates to electromagnetic switches. More particularly it relates to certain features improving the mounting of an electromagnet in an electromagnetic switch combination,

It is an object of my invention to provide a mounting for the component parts in an electromagnetic switch combination, which will permit the mounting and removal of the electromagnet structure on movable contact assembly forwardly or from the front, thus allowing the mounting or removal to be done while the switch remains within a conventional housing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved connection between the magnet armature and contact carrying means, permitting the armature to adjust itself to the field piece or core to minimize alternating current hum.

Another object is to provide an improved mounting for the electromagnet structure and for resetting means of overload devices whereby their assembly and removal are facilitated and simplified.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as it is described in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a right side elevation view of an electromagnetic switch embodying the principles of my invention, the right overload device having been removed for clarity;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switch of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the movable contact carrier and the contact covering hood;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation view, partly in sec tion, of the switch of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown as embodied in a three-pole electromagnetically-operated switch which is mounted upon a metallic sheet metal back plate ill at one end of which is mounted. a block E2 of insulation carrying fixed contacts ll, preferably but not necessarily of the form described in my co-pending application Serial No. 740,406, entitled Arc extinguishing means for alternating current electric switches. Since the fixed and movable contacts may be of conventional construction, their details are not shown and need not be described. The fixed contactsmay be engaged by movable bridging contacts l3 carried by a movable contact carrier it of insulation. Preferably the movable contacts will be housed within a forwardly removable shield or hood IT.

For moving the contact carrier M, an electro-.

magnet structure is provided, comprising a substantially rectangular laminated magnetic field piece it with an open central portion and a passage in one side for the magnet armature. The laminations of the field piece are held between open-center rectangular plates Hid, lBb on top and bottom of the laminations and the plates and laminations are riveted permanently together. A unitary magnet coil [8 is located within the field piece and is held in position by flat non-magnetic armature guide bars 20, 22, extending across the opening of the field piece and lying against the top and bottom laminations thereof. These guides may be held in place by a cotter 23. Within the field piece and sliding between the guides 26, 22, is the leg of a T-shaped magnetic-laminated armature 24. The armature is coupled with a slidable contact operating carriage comprising a bottom angle plate 26 located beneath the head of the armature and having a stud 28 extending perpendicularly forward from that portion of the plate 26 which lies parallel to the back plate Iii. The stud 28 is tapered toward its mounting in the angle member 26 and is received within a cylindrical sleeve or bushing 30 passing entirely through the head of the armature 24. The internal diameter of the sleeve 3!! forms a sliding fit with the top portion of the tapered stud 28. The stud 28 is so positioned and dimensioned that, when the armature is assembled, the top of the stud will be in the center of the sleeve to within the head of the armature 24. This engagement of the tapered stud with the mid-section of the horizontal sleeve 30 of the armature enables the armature to pivot or tilt in multiple directions about the point of engagement of its sleeve 30 and the stud 28, somewhat in the manner of a universal joint. By that means, adjustment of the armature to the field piece is substantially universal and the pull of opposing forces are equalized and hum due to current alternations is practically eliminated.

The contact operating carriage further comprises a hollow square tube 3i connecting the bottom angle plate 25 with a larger top angle plate 32 at the opposite end of the field piece and between it and the back plate. The forwardlyextending portions of the angle plates 26 and 32 are slightly depressed in an area approximately equaling that of the square tube 3|, to receive the ends of the tube. These depressed square areas of the angle plates are held against the ends of the square tube by a hollow round pipe 38 passing through the square tube and through o-axial circular apertures in the angle plates 26,

32. The ends of the pipe 38 are peened over against the angle plates to hold the parts of the carriage together and in fixed relation. To guide the movement of the carriage, the bottom edges of the angle plates 26 and 32 slide upon and are guided by the surface of a mounting plate l5, which: lies upon the backplate ID. The carriage is alsoslidable on and guided by a round rod 39 passing through the tubes 3i and 3B. The

rod 39 is mounted at one end in a large lug Ilia bent up at right angles from the end of the back plate Ill. At the other end, the rod 39 is mounted in a right-angle-bent portion .l5a of the mounting plate 15.

Thus the square and round tubes 3|, 38, connect the angle plates 26 and 32 to form the carriage, and the rod 39 extends through said tubes to guide the rectilinear movement, turning being prevented by sliding engagement of the straight edge portions of plates 25, 32, with the mounting plate I5. Removal of the carriage is. made possibleby. securing the .rod 39 in. place by the use of yoke washers 39yfitting inperipheral grooves inthe rod. just insidev the supporting members Mia. and lid. Whenthese washers are pulled ofi the.rod 39, the rod can be. axially removedfrom the device, freeingthecarriage for removal after the electromagnet and movable contact .parts are removed.

The top. portion. .of the top angle plate 32 lies parallel with=the base i ll and supports and carries the insulating contactcarrier l4, whichis slidably mounted .thereon from the front of the switch by beingimpaled upon parallel studs 34 extending=upwardly from the top surface of the plate 32,into cylindrical passages 38 in the carrier I4.

The electromagnet structure is mounted upon a pairofinverted U-shaped supporting members 40 having out-turned ends lying upon and. securedtothe surface of the-mounting plate E5 in spaced positions, so that the side portions of the fieldspiece l6 mayseat upon the transverse portions-of-said inverted U-supports. To hold the field pieceupon the supports, two long bolts 54 pass through thefield'pieceintothe supports.

Theinvention is'particularly designed for use in-"connectionwith an electromagnetic switch that isprovided with. overload responsive devices 50 located on opposite-sides of the device, either or both of which mayoperate upon the occurrenceof anoverload. The form and details-of structure of the overload devices form no part of the presentinvention. It will be sumcient to describe them as. having. resetting members 32 which extend upwardly therefrom. Depression of-these-members will reset the device automatically; One suitable form for such overload devices is illustrated in my Patent 2,322,161,. granted June 15, 1943. Resetting means in the form of a yoke which may be moved or depressedto reset one orrboth of the overload devices, if one or both havezoper-ated, are sometimes provided.

lathe-present invention, a resetting yoke 54 of U-.-shape;with-out-turned ends, is supported on springs Efiplaced about the smooth shanks of the upperaendsjof the bolts 44. The springs 56 press the ba-r upward against the underside of the heads of the-bolts. Thus, the bolts serve the dual. purpose of mounting the resetting bar and at the same time securing the field piece on its supports.

The foregoing construction makes possible the removals-of, the entire electromagnet structure fromth -device, upon removing only the two bolts on-which the resetting baris mounted, without the necessity of removing any other partassuming the electrical connections of the coil to have been disconnected. This removal takes place forwardly of the device and can be done while the device remains secured within the customary metal box or housing (not shown).

Although the invention is described-in connection with and is particularly useful in an electromagnetic switch structure, other uses will occur to those skilled in the art, where like objects are sought and like advantages are desired; and many modifications within the scope of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore I do not limit the invention to the specific embodiment herein disclosed.

I claim:

1. Operating means for an electric switch comprising a mounting plate, an electromagnetic field piece, a coil mounted on said field piece, means supporting said field piece and coil spaced in front of. said plate, an armature movable within said coil, a carriage adapted to move switch contacts, aconnection between said carriage and armature. constructed and. arranged to permit disassociation of said armature from said carriage by. movement forwardly of said plate, and means securing said field piece. against said supporting means and constructed and arranged to permit disassociation of said field piece from said supporting means by movement forwardly of said basewhen said securing means are removed.

2. Operating means for an electric switch comprising a mounting. plate, afield piece, a coil mounted on said-field. piece, an armature movablewithin said field piece,.a.carriage movable by said armature and adapted to move a switch contact, means detachably connecting said armature and carriage to permit disassociation of said armature from said carriage connection by movement forwardly of said plate, and means to mount andhold saidfield piece in front of said plate, said coil. and;field piece. and armature being removable together forwardly of said plate on removing the means holding said field piece.

3. Operatingmeans for an electric switch comprising a mounting plate, a field piece, a coil mounted on said field piece, an armature movable within said field piece, a carriage movable by said armature for operating a switch contact and comprising plate members joined by a tubular memher, a member mounted parallel to said mounting plate and slidably carrying said carriage between said mounting plate. and field piece, means detachably connecting said armature and carriage to permit disassociation of said armature from said carriage connection by movement forwardly of said plate, andmeans to mount and hold said field piece in front ofsaid plate, said coil and field piece and armature being removable together forwardly of said plate on removing the means holding said field piece.

4. Operating means for an electric switch comprising a mounting plate,v a field piece, a coil mounted on said field piece, an armature movable within said field piece, a'carriage movable by said armature andadapted'to move a switch contact, means to detachably connect said. armature to said carriage comprising a stud engageable in a passagev permitting disassociation of said. armature from said carriage'by movement forwardly from said plate.

5. Operating means for an electric switch comprising a mounting plate, a field piece, a. coil mounted on said field piece, an armature movable within said field piece,- a carriage movable by said armature and adapted to move a switch contact, and means to detachably connect said armature to said carriage and providing adjustment of said armature to the pole faces of said field piece comprising a round stud on said carriage tapered from its forward toward its rear end and having its larger forward end located substantially in the central plane of said field piece, a cylindrical passage through said armature receiving said stud and of such diameter as to form a sliding fit with the largest portion thereof.

6. Operating means for an electric switch comprising a mounting plate, a field piece, a coil removable with the field piece, an armature moving within the field piece, a carriage slidable over the face of said mounting plate, a movable contact carrier operable by said carriage and armature, means supporting said field piece from said plate, in combination with the means to mount the carrier and armature on said carriage and said field piece on its supporting means by movement from the front to rear movement toward said mounting plate, comprising a stud on said carriage engaging in a passage in said armature, at least one stud on said carriage receivable within a passage in said contact carrier, and detachable means operable from the front of said field piece to secure said field piece on its supporting means.

'7. Operating means for an electric switch comprisin a mounting plate, a field piece, a coil mounted on said field piece, an armature movable within said field piece, a carriage movable by said armature and adapted to move a switch contact, means connecting said armature and carriage to permit said armature to adjust itself to the pole faces of said field piece comprising a cylindrical passage in said armature, a round stud on said carriage receivable within said passage and tapering toward its mounting on said carriage, the larger portion of said stud being of such dimension as to form a sliding fit with said passage and lying substantially in the central plane of said field piece.

8. Operating means for an electric switch comprisin a mounting plate, a, field piece, a coil mounted on said field piece, an armature movable within said field piece, a carriage movable by said armature and adapted to move a switch contact, means connecting said armature and carriage to permit said armature to adjust itself to the pole faces of said field piece comprising means forming a cylindrical passage and a round tapered stud receivable within said passage with its largest portion lying substantially in the central plane of said field piece, said largest portion being of such dimension as to form a sliding fit with said passage.

HAROLD E. SCHLEICHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

